Newbie. Installation of G code to FF Creator. New Purchase

[plasticformer]

Hello all,

I just purchased a FF Creator rebuild and set it up yesterday. Sure, it works great with the programs that come with the SD card, but I want to make some stuff from Thingiverse, etc. I have a window 8 PC with 64 bit. Can somebody recommend a good software install for me to create my .stl files into the G code? I've tried Makerbot, ReplicatorG0040, and Slic3R, and none of them work. Keeps showing a COM3 port as busy. Pulling hair out on this one.

Ideally. And this may be a stretch. Does anyone know how I can get a file that will run this FF Creator on some sort of widget other than what was supplied with the SD card? I'd like to eventually make my own creations, but until I can get this windows 8 barrier figured out. I'm stuck.

Sorry for this rather stupid post. But I'd like to make some more stuff.

Any thoughts?

Plasticformer

[jfkansas]

First you can't transmit files to the SD card over the USB (COM).... Use Makerware to export a .x3g file. Copy it to the SD card and take to the machine.

[curious aardvark]

Simplify 3d lets you copy an x3g file directly to the sd card in the printer. But it's fairly slow and much quicker to take the card out and plug it into the computer. I use a poundland card reader on my mini itx wooden box pc.

The communications thing can be a bit iffy. I generally unplug and plug back in the usb connection till the software admits the printer exists.

It's possible the python files haven't installed properly on windows h8 - they seem to be responsible for the direct communication. See if you can find any python installs for windows h8.

It might be worth downloading the latest makerware desktop and just installing the python files it comes with. Claims it's h8 compatible.